The
Type 055 guided missile destroyer is the next generation destroyer designed
for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy). According
to Chinese media, the Chinese government awarded the contract for construction
of the first ship of the class to Changxing Jiangnan shipyard. According
to the same sources, the second Type 055 destroyer will be built at
the Dalian naval shipyard (Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company member
of CSIC - China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation).

Construction of a Type
055 Shore Integration Facility (SIF) started in early 2014 at
the Ship Design and Research Center (701 Institute) of CSIC at the Wuhan
University of Science and Technology. A model of the PLAN's Aircraft
Carrier was built at the same location in 2009. Based on the SIF mockup,
the Type 055 weapons fit is close to the one found on board Type
052D destroyers (Kunming/Luyang III class) but with an overall
better integration and what appears to be a sleeker design. In addition,
it is important to note that the four APAR planar arrays will be fitted
in a new fashion: While the four antennas are on the same level on Type
052D, Type 055 will have the two antennas at the back placed at a higher
level compared to the two at the front, much like the US Navy Arleigh-Burke
class. This design likely provides better coverage.

» Long range,
area air defense
» ASW, AAW, ASUW, EW
» Strike against land targets »
Long range patrol and surveillance
» Escort of high value assets such as Aircraft Carrier and Amphibious
Vessels

Design

Same
general layout as Type 052D, but larger and higher hull, bridge and
overall structure. Type 055 should feature an improved stealth design
compared to its predecesor. The class will very likely be fitted with
a new integrated mast forward and may be fitted with a large rotating
L band radar back aft (similar to the Smart-L radar found on Horizon
and Type 45 destroyers of the French, Italian and Royal Navy).Type 055 (speculated design - top) compared to Type 052D (actual
design - bottom):